Marlon Wayans as Isaiah White in “Him.” Universal Pictures
By now, it’s no secret that “Him,” the Justin Tipping-directed, Jordan Peele-produced sports horror flick, isn’t the stellar blockbuster some expected it to be when it hit theaters on Sept. 19 — although its premise did seem promising.
In an effort to answer the question, “What would you sacrifice to become the greatest of all time?” “Him” follows the journey of Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers), a rising-star quarterback who has sacrificed everything and devoted his entire life to the game of football to fulfill his late father’s (Don Benjamin) wish of becoming the GOAT. His dreams are jeopardized after a mysterious stranger hits him in the head on the football field and gives him a traumatic brain injury.
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But just as all hope is lost, Cade’s idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), a legendary quarterback and current GOAT — who also plays for Cade’s favorite team, the San Antonio Saviors — invites the young prodigy to his remote compound for a week of intense training to prove he has what it takes to replace White once he retires. However, as Cade’s training ramps up, and White’s ritualistic tests get more deranged, the young quarterback discovers that he’s expected to sacrifice much more than just his blood, sweat and tears for the sport he loves to attain a near-impossible dream.
This is more or less when “Him” starts to fall apart, as it tries to blend elements of horror with social commentary on a gladiatorial sport that, by its message, often leaves Black men broke down, beat up and ultimately screwed over by white ownership for their entertainment. Its effort left critics less than impressed, though.
The initial reviews were harsh, with criticisms on everything from the movie’s muddled messaging on the dangers of professional football and exploitation of Black bodies to its failed attempts at venturing into actual scary territory.
Some of those points are valid. I, too, had a few concerns with the film, particularly its oddly handled fight-to-the-death ending, which hardly feels in service to the point the film was trying to make. I also wish “Him” had invested just as much time into White’s backstory as it did Cade’s. It would’ve been helpful to know why his football-obsessed character ranked the sport over everything else in his life, family and God included, and why he turned out the way he did. That might’ve answered a few questions about his demise as well.
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Still, there are some forgiving aspects of “Him” that are being overshadowed by bomb reviews online.
Like the impressive, dramatic performance of Wayans, which comes as no surprise if you’ve seen the actor in this bag before (see his roles in “Requiem for a Dream,” “Respect,” “Bel-Air,” etc.). The usually comedic Wayans brother portrays a menacing mentor-like figure to Cade, who goes completely off the rails by the movie’s end. His part makes up for an awkward script written by Tipping, Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie. Similarly, Withers, who’s relatively new to Hollywood, holds his own next to his co-star and uses his personal experience as a former college wide receiver to his advantage where it counts.
On the other hand, I still have mixed feelings about Julia Fox playing White’s celebrity influencer wife and her significant role in the film’s ending. But her acting wasn’t terrible.
Overall, performances saved “Him” where it otherwise lacked. However, the discourse surrounding the film hasn’t been as nuanced, with some who saw it opening week giving it an immediate thumbs down.
Meanwhile, others have tried to defend the movie and its message:
Whatever the opinions of “Him” are, I think it’s important to remember it’s still a film worth engaging with. Allowing critics’ reviews or first reactions to dictate whether people want to see a movie feels like letting others’ opinions control our own. And all that does is limit the perspective through which we view art (or whatever you categorize “Him” as).
Wayans responded to negative reviews of “Him” by acknowledging that critics’ work “shapes our industry, but an opinion does not always mean it’s everyone’s opinion.”
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“Some movies are ahead of the curve,” he noted on Instagram. “Innovation is not always embraced and art is to be interpreted and it’s subjective.”
“I’ve had a career of making classic movies that weren’t critically received and those movies went on to be CLASSICS,” the actor added in his post, including screenshots of low Rotten Tomatoes scores for some of his cult classics, like “White Chicks” and “Scary Movie.” “So don’t take anyone’s opinion just go see for yourself.”
“Him” is now playing in theaters.
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